Stars on Stage in 2026

Sadie Sink in Romeo and Juliet at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Photo by Helen Murray.

Stranger Things may be coming to an end, but Sadie Sink will continue to leave us in awe with her immense acting talent in the coming year, when she stars opposite Noah Jupe in Robert Icke’s Romeo and Juliet. This will be her West End debut and her first time tackling Shakespeare, and what better way to do both than to play Shakespeare’s tragic young heroine in this story of star-crossed love and violent family feuds?

Where you might know her from: Sink rose to stardom as Max Mayfield in Netflix’s number one show, Stranger Things. She also starred opposite Brendan Fraser in the award-winning film, The Whale, and has appeared in Fear Street and Dear Zoe. She began her acting career in theatre, appearing on Broadway as the titular character in Annie and a young Queen Elizabeth in The Audience, and is due to join the MCU in an undisclosed role in the next Spider-Man film.

Romeo and Juliet Tickets

Hugh Bonneville in Shadowlands at the Aldwych Theatre

Photo by Manuel Harlan.

Hugh Bonneville will reprise his role as literary icon C S Lewis, in this sweeping historical play about Lewis’s time at Oxford and his affair with American poet Joy Davidman. Based on Lewis’s own writings about his grief and crisis of faith, acting legend Bonneville first sank his teeth into this complex, powerful role at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2019 and now London audiences will get to experience him bring to life the man behind The Chronicles of Narnia.

Where you might know him from: Bonneville has had a long and illustrious career across the stage and screen, but you’re most likely to recognise him as the Earl of Grantham on Downton Abbey, a role that one him several award nominations and which he reprised for the highly anticipated Downton Abbey film in 2025. He’s also appeared in the beloved Paddington films as Henry Brown, as well as other films such as Iris and The Monuments Men.

Shadowlands Tickets

Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison in Grace Pervades at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Photo by Marc Brenner.

Who better to play two of the most well-known thespians of the Victorian stage than two of the most well-known British actors of our time? Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison will bring their immense talents to the roles of the complex, brilliant, and troubled Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, in this witty love letter to theatre that paints a breath-taking portrait of the extraordinary careers and blossoming affair of these two legendary actors during a dazzling moment in theatre history.

Where you might know them from: Fiennes has a long history of playing iconic, instantly recognisable characters on the screen and stage. He played Hamlet in his Broadway debut and Heathcliff in his film debut. Since then he’s commanded the screen in award-winning films such as The English Patient, Schindler’s List, and The Grand Budapest Hotel. He’s also the face of some of the notorious fictional villains, from Voldemort in the Harry Potter films to President Snow in the upcoming The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Raison, meanwhile, is best known for playing Jo Portman in five seasons of the spy drama Spooks, as well as Nellie Davenport in HBO’s Warrior. On stage, she originated the title role in Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Grace Pervades Tickets

Chris Pine in Ivanov at the Bridge Theatre

Photo by Tommaso Boddi.

Chris Pine will make his stage debut in this revival of the great Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s bold, witty comic drama about a government official who throws himself into the decadent world of parties and hedonism in an attempt to escape his humdrum life. One of the greatest writers of Russian literature, Chekhov’s work is notorious for its complex characters and scathing, satirical social commentary, and we can’t wait to see what a seasoned actor like Pine brings to this modernised revival of the classic play.

Where you might know him from: A classic Hollywood heartthrob, Pine made us swoon as leading men in romcoms such as The Princess Diaries 2 and Just My Luck, and more recently starred as action hero Jack Ryan in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and the heroic bard Edgin Darvis in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. But you’re most likely to recognise him as James T Kirk in the Star Trek reboots and Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman films.

Ivanov Tickets

Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt in The Last Five Years at the London Palladium

Photo by Sophie Wilson.

Musical theatre icons Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt will star in a special 25th anniversary concert of Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years, a heartbreaking musical about falling in and out of love told out of chronological order. This one-act two-person musical has won hearts around the world and inspired a 2011 film adaptation, and now you can see two of the best vocal talents of their generation bring Cathy and Jamie’s love story to life once again - for a special, unmissable run of one week only.

Where you might know them from: Zegler rose to fame after playing Maria in the film adaptation of West Side Story. She’s since taken on iconic roles such as Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and the titular role in Disney’s Snow White. She recently made her Broadway debut as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and her West End debut as Eva Peron in Evita. Platt also began his acting career in musical theatre from a young age, and rose to prominence for originating the title role in the coming-of-age musical Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, which he reprised for the film adaptation. Onscreen, he’s appeared in the Pitch Perfect film series and the comedy-drama television show The Politician.

The Last Five Years Tickets

Cynthia Erivo in Dracula at the Noel Coward Theatre

Photo by Mark Seliger.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the progenitor of vampire fiction, a genre that continues to be wildly popular and prevalent, and has inspired countless adaptations on film and stage. But can you imagine a one-woman-show version of Dracula with one actress playing all 23 characters? If anyone can pull it off, it’s a great talent like Cynthia Erivo, fresh off the success of Wicked: For Good and set to lead the charge in Kit Williams’ innovative, genre-defying, cinetheatre adaptation of this classic horror story about vampirism, seduction, and hunger. It’s sure to be a thrillingly unique take and an electrifying and intoxicating experience for lovers of Stoker’s novel.

Where you might know her from: Erivo is most recognisable as Elphaba in the film adaptation of Wicked, the sequel to which came out in 2025. She made her Broadway debut playing Celie in The Color Purple, a role which won her multiple awards. On film, she’s starred in crime thrillers such as Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale, and was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of abolitionist Harriet Tubman in Harriet.

Dracula Tickets

Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre

Photo by Alexandre Blossard.

Choderlos de Laclos's classic 18th century novel shocked, scandalised, and titillated audiences with its frank portrayal of sexuality, psychological warfare, and scathing commentary of social vice. Years later it inspired the 1999 cult classic Cruel Intentions. Now Aidan Turner and Lesley Manville will take on the iconic roles of the charismatic, dangerous Vicomte de Valmont and the scheming, ambitious Marquise de Merteuil in this story of seduction and betrayal, adapted for the stage by Christopher Hampton.

Where you might know the from: Manville has received multiple accolades for her work across the screen and stage, having starred in multiple Mike Leigh films such as Grown-Ups and Topsy-Turvy, as well as the romance drama Phantom Thread, and Disney’s Maleficent films, where she played the fairy Flittle. Most recently, you will have seen her as Princess Margaret on The Crown. Turner, meanwhile, has starred in a string of popular television series, from the broody vampire Mitch in Being Human to Ross Poldark in Poldark, but you most likely know him as the dwarf Kili in The Hobbit trilogy.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses Tickets

Mark Addy in The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Photo by Brinkhoff Moegenburg

Comic genius and beloved screen star Mark Addy stars as an unlikely hero in this heartwarming, funny musical adaptation of the 2012 novel by Rachel Joyce, in which the titular Harold Fry decides to walk six hundred miles to say goodbye to an old friend. We’re certain Addy will win over and then break out hearts in this touching story of redemption and second chances, set to an unforgettable score by folk indie musician Passenger.

Where you might know him from: A comedic legend, British audiences will best remember Addy as DC Gary Boyle in the sitcom The Thin Blue Line, as well as Dave Horsefall in The Full Monty. International audiences will recognise him as other iconic characters such as Roland in A Knight’s Tale, Friar Tuck in Robin Hood, Fred Flintstone in the film adaptations of the beloved cartoon, and of course, a short-lived but unforgettable stint as King Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Tickets

So if your New Year resolution is to watch more theatre in 2026, or you're already planning your theatre calendar for the new year, don't miss your chance to catch these wildly talented actors on the stage next year. Star powered shows tend to sell out fast, so make sure you book quickly to avoid disappointment!